Webber working on an autobiogrpahy
A couple years ago we saw an amazing 30 for 30 about the Fab 5, but one persepctive was missing — Chris Webber's. Soon we'll finally (we hope, at least) get his side of the story when he releases his autobiograhy.
Although I'm sure he'll also write about other things, I think it's fair to say MGoBlog Nation will skip straight to the Michigan years.
I profiled Chris Webber in last week's Sports Illustrated -- he's become one of the more interesting NBA voices as a studio and game analyst for NBA TV and TNT -- and during our conversation he told me that he's been working on a documentary about his life for the past six years. Webber said he plans to release both the documentary and an autobiography at some point next year and the working (but unlikely final) title is The Black Forrest Gump.
November 27th, 2012 at 11:14 PM ^
November 27th, 2012 at 11:25 PM ^
I'm not sure any excuse he gives will be enough.
I cheered for the guy in his NBA days and all and it sucks that the other 4 won't come back to Michigan without Chris but oh well.
It's a rash that won't go away.
November 28th, 2012 at 8:28 PM ^
So at least he's been back. I think the others want Chris to fess up too. Jalen seemed disappointed in some of Chris' lies so maybe there's a chance the others will come back despite his silence.
November 28th, 2012 at 8:42 PM ^
"I cheered for the guy in his NBA days"
Does that include his stint with the Bullets? That's when he lost me because of all the off court stuff.
November 27th, 2012 at 11:32 PM ^
Webber will go into full detail to how he received payments from Ed and exactly how much money he exactly how much he took. Can't wait.
November 27th, 2012 at 11:35 PM ^
the whole Area 51 disclosure that should be in there somewhere.
November 28th, 2012 at 9:54 AM ^
Your knowledge and insight continue to be unparalleled. From yesterday:
I reading on the Michigan Recruiting HQ from someone that goes to his school and knows Ty says that Ty Issac is looking for a school that will offer him cash under the table, aka Pay to Play. For some reason he thinks Michigan may budge this time. I highly doubt they will, though. The focus should be on Green.
November 28th, 2012 at 10:42 AM ^
True, but there was another post up a few days ago with the article that discusses the autobiography. The writer asked Webber point blank whether he would have anything in the book on his days at Michigan and the scandal and he basically said yes. Now that doesn't go so far as saying he going to talk all about it but, in his defense (not sure why), the OP was at least partially correct.
November 28th, 2012 at 1:58 PM ^
My post was meant as sarcastic because I really doubt Webber is going to say anything along the lines of admitting to taking money. But you can go ahead and mark Uncle Tony's post as trolling if you want. Feel the chi!
November 27th, 2012 at 11:36 PM ^
November 27th, 2012 at 11:47 PM ^
long past time to move on
November 28th, 2012 at 12:05 AM ^
I don't see a scenario here that I like.
If he continues to deny everything, it'll feel Lance Armstrong-ish.
If he comes clean, it'll be irritating that he did it through a lucrative book deal instead of letting the Fab Five's complete story be told in that 30 for 30 documentary.
Maybe he's donating his book earnings to charity or he'll surprise me in some other way, but I'm not expecting to enjoy this.
November 28th, 2012 at 7:13 AM ^
"... letting the Fab Five's complete story be told in that 30 for 30 documentary."
So, instead, ESPN could profit?
I agree with your main point and I wish he'd apologize.
November 28th, 2012 at 10:11 AM ^
Fair point, but my problem with this obviously isn't that he hurt ESPN's ratings. The venue for that documentary was irrelevant to me.
The rest of his teammates, some of whom made similar mistakes, came together to tell a story that is both important and sad for Michigan athletics. I don't like the idea that he refused to join his teammates in order to possibly squeeze a few dollars out of the Michigan fans whose basketball program was so badly compromised by his actions.
I think it's inappropriate to financially profit from some things. This is one of them.
November 28th, 2012 at 12:08 AM ^
November 28th, 2012 at 10:16 AM ^
In fairness, there might have been more competition for the "favorite player in Michigan basketball history" honor if the scandal hadn't left the basketball program in ruins for over a decade.
November 28th, 2012 at 10:56 AM ^
November 28th, 2012 at 1:44 PM ^
I'd agree with you, but only if Chris was responsible for hiring Briane Ellerbe. A bad coach can do far more harm to a program than a scandal. USC didn't have trouble fielding great players post-Reggie Bush. Ohio is doing very well recruiting post-scandal. Hell, kids are still going to The U. Michigan left the bball program to rot with Ellerbe and Tommy "The Mock Turtle". None of that is Webb's fault.
November 28th, 2012 at 8:40 PM ^
Webber wasn't even my favorite player of the Fab Five. Jalen had preternatural savvy, and Juwan's post play was a thing of beauty. Webber had a way of disappearing on the floor for stretches, especially on defense. Purely as a player, he became most enjoyable to watch later in his NBA career after the injuries forced him to become a consistently brilliant inside passer.
I'll read the book with gritted teeth, unless it gets reviewed as a total weasel job. I'd like to be able to ignore it but for better and especially worse, he played a huge role in my fan life. It's morbidly fascinating that someone so intelligent and gifted blew it so spectacularly (and I'm not talking about the timeout).
November 28th, 2012 at 12:20 AM ^
Maybe I am naive, but I'll always love Chris Webber. As a little kid he was the first basketball player that I can remember as my "favorite player." Maybe I might have different feelings towards him if I was older when the whole thing happened.
November 28th, 2012 at 12:53 AM ^
I want to know if he heard someone call timeout from the bench. Also, will be interesting to hear other stories from the Fab Five days to add to the 30 on 30 special. And, of course, the whole Ed Martin story would be nice too.
November 28th, 2012 at 12:55 AM ^
A good read, hopefully informative.
November 28th, 2012 at 10:06 AM ^
November 28th, 2012 at 1:43 AM ^
Based on everything that has come out of Chris Webber's mouth (or, rather, what hasn't) over the past 20 years, I can think of very little that could come out of this autobiography that would make me think any differently about the six figures that showed up in his family's bank account, and the lack of remorse he has shown for what it has wrought on Michigan Basketball.
If anything, it just shows he won't do anything unless he's getting paid for his efforts, whether it's play college basketball, or coming clean for not following the rules when he did. This is a self-serving move that just happens to come at the same time that his period of mandatory banishment from association with Michigan expires. Sheer opportunism, and if Michigan has a shred of integrity left, there should be no response.
We've moved on, past the darkness of the sanctions era, and for once, we have something to show for it. There's no need to take away or distract from what these great kids are doing right now, who are doing things the right way, by letting Chris Webber weasel his way in with a lucrative book deal that will pay him enough to say what he should have been saying all along.
November 28th, 2012 at 2:05 AM ^
November 28th, 2012 at 8:06 AM ^
I bet he needs the money, and thinks it's going to be a big seller.
November 28th, 2012 at 9:04 AM ^
Chris made more in straight up NBA salary than all but 8 other guys in NBA history (not including endorsements, whatever). I believe he was #2 to Shaq when he retired.
http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1316965/nba-career-earnings.jpg
According to that, Chris's NBA contract earnings were $178,230,697.
(Not saying he couldn't go broke, like many on the list have, but he's got a good TV deal in place, produces music, etc. Chris was/is smart, and I doubt he needs cash)
November 28th, 2012 at 10:01 AM ^
November 28th, 2012 at 1:48 PM ^
"The six figures that showed up in his family's bank account"? Did that really happen? Does a "family" have a bank account? It's been my understanding (and that of Mitch Albom, who followed him at the time) that there's never been a discovery of this cash stockpile.
November 28th, 2012 at 3:30 PM ^
about the money, so yeah.
November 28th, 2012 at 3:56 PM ^
He wasn't convicted of perjury; he was charged with it. The conviction was a contempt conviction.
Anyway, I was asking a serious question. His conviction says nothing about proving 6 figures being dropped into "his family's account". First, no one has a "family" bank account. Second, no one ever saw proof of Webb or his family balling with loot.
November 28th, 2012 at 3:13 AM ^
November 28th, 2012 at 7:55 AM ^
I suppose we can assume that Jalen would be his Bubba?
November 28th, 2012 at 3:45 AM ^
What's odd is the starring role of Black Forrest Gump is also being played by Tom Hanks.
November 28th, 2012 at 9:05 AM ^
November 28th, 2012 at 6:04 AM ^
But, whatever he did or didn't do happened 20 year ago. During the whole fab 5 debacle, I wad way more disappointed in the adults and coaches who either facilitated any violations or turned a blind eye.
November 28th, 2012 at 7:20 AM ^
I allegedly agree with your point on how he was a kid at the time. I am or am not rolling my eyes due to the fact that you are unconvinced he took money.
November 28th, 2012 at 7:35 AM ^
November 28th, 2012 at 8:14 AM ^
I agree with you that the adults in his world bear the culpability in the legal sense for whatever happened, but you speak of Chris as though he was some fresh-from-the-womb naif who was helplessly buffeted by the swirl of greedy adults around him. Webber knew exactly what he was doing, and he played the situation as cynically as his parents did.
November 28th, 2012 at 9:33 AM ^
you speak of Chris as though he was some fresh-from-the-womb naif who was helplessly buffeted by the swirl of greedy adults around him
Hey Chaucier, maybe you should pen the book for CW.
November 28th, 2012 at 12:44 PM ^
For one thing, he may have been covering for his parents. Not trying to let him off the hook, but I'm always surprised at how fans assume they've got the whole story. I'm looking forward to hearing what he's got to say, myself, and even might withhold judgement until I can absorb it.
November 28th, 2012 at 11:10 AM ^
November 28th, 2012 at 7:32 AM ^
Chapter 1
Spoiled, self-centered, pampered super athlete takes thousands of dollars from a jock-sniffing bookie, gets caught, and defiantly tries to defend his actions. The school is hammered with major violations and suffers irreparable damage to its image.
The End.
November 28th, 2012 at 8:33 AM ^
It's been exactly 20 years since Michigan's last Final Four.
I want a Fab Five reunion. Bad.
November 28th, 2012 at 9:25 AM ^
November 28th, 2012 at 10:11 AM ^
November 28th, 2012 at 9:08 AM ^
He should get Rosenberg to write it, then I'd have double the reason to never read it.
November 28th, 2012 at 9:11 AM ^
on U-M's campus. And I'll be the last person to buy or read his autobiography. But I'm fully expecting he'll write a long, nauseating diatribe about how much he was "exploited" by others for financial gain. And the part about the wake of destruction he left behind will be conveniently left out.
It's normal to want to remember the good things that happened from an era and forget about the really bad stuff. But in this case, when I see Chris Webber either on TV or in the newspaper, all I remember is a lying, self-centered person who doesn't care about the negative impact his actions had on many others as well as his former school.
November 28th, 2012 at 9:35 AM ^
You'll be the SECOND to the last person.
November 28th, 2012 at 1:53 PM ^
Spoken like a person who never meant the guy he's talking so much shit about.